Hole in 7.92 bullet casing

[BushTechsJersey]

Hey everybody,

This morning I found my first WO I bullet casing. After a bit of research I found out it was a 7.92 bullet casing, a German one fabricated in 1915. What I don't know is two things. On the side of the casing there was a small hole, looking like it was deliberately punctured with a nail or whatever. Can someone tell me why a soldier would do that? And if he did or didn't, is it likely the bullet was fired? It was just the casing I found and i can't quite notice any spot on the bottom where the pin might have hit... Anyways, thanks!

[Doc2]

I have no idea about your particular case, but in the past, I have seen soldiers using a similar technique to remove powder from cartridges, usually to play with it and light it for fun. Alternatively, some cases were factory made as training rounds, with no powder in them. These were used for training people how to load and unload the rifle, etc. In many of these cases, a hole was drilled in the case for identification. A photo of your case might be of use.

[centurion]

I have no idea about your particular case, but in the past, I have seen soldiers using a similar technique to remove powder from cartridges, usually to play with it and light it for fun. Alternatively, some cases were factory made as training rounds, with no powder in them. These were used for training people how to load and unload the rifle, etc. In many of these cases, a hole was drilled in the case for identification. A photo of your case might be of use.

Don't know about WW1 but certainly such training rounds post WW2 had more than one hole in them but the ones I saw were not factory made as training rounds - they were deactivated rounds produced (in this case by an RAF facility) when disposing of surplus live ammunition and then issued for training. The rationale in this case was that no one could get hold of them and refill them.

[BushTechsJersey]

Thanks for the info. The hole looks really deliberately punctured so I don't think somebody hit it with a pickaxe or whatever when it was in the ground. I'd believe that if I knew if the bullet was shot or not, that would give me a clue about the hole. Are there any other indications on a casing to see if it has been shot other than a mark on the bottom where the pin hit? I uploaded a photo.

[centurion]

The training rounds I have seen had holes neatly drilled in them so that there was no distortion in the case (which might cause a 'jam' when training to load a magazine etc) That definitely has a 'home made' look to it. I wonder if it were to allow a cord with a knot on it to be threaded through so that the case could be used as some sort of toggle

[Stoppage Drill]

Cartridges are sometimes deactivated by drilling a hole, but this is not normally to pour powder out. Indeed, this would be impossible with a cordite filled case (though I appreciate your Mauser cartridge would not have had a cordite fill). Usually some light machine oil is squirted into prevent any chance of ignition.

If a case does not have a mark from the strike of a firing pin on the primer, then it is pretty certain it hasn't been fired. However, there are several other marks on a fired case such as extractor claw marks. These are not usually very distinct unless you know what you are looking for, just scratches in the brass really.

If your case has been lying around in a field for the best part of a century it would be pretty difficult to say what may have caused the damage and the hole.

[MikB]

I think Cent's probably got it. That hole looks crudely punched to make some sort of cord-handle out of a fired case. It'd be difficult to get the powder granules out of that hole to play with, because of the inward bowing - much easier with 7,92x57 to stick the point in the rifle muzzle and lever the case by hand to loosen the bullet in its crimp and then pop it out.

Regards,

MikB

[centurion]

As has been discussed in threads on reversed bullets etc it was relatively easy to get the bullet out of a German round as the crimping and sealing was less than on a British 303 round.

[Stoppage Drill]

I see cartridge cases and spent bullets every single day, dog walking on the Plain, and hardly notice them. If I spot a potentially interesting one I'll pick it up and look, and some cause me a real puzzle.

My point is that I see all sorts of damage, and it's really impossible to speculate with any hope of certainty on what may have caused it.

How's about a misfed round which has been hit by the forward locking lugs of a Mauser bolt instead of being smoothly picked up by the bolt face and chambered ? You do see damage to the walls of a case when this occurs, though I've never seen one actually holed as far as I can recall.

[BushTechsJersey]

All right you guys, thanks. I'm quite new to metal detecting and digging bullets out of the ground. I know what a bullet casing looks like but that hole really puzzles me. As far as marks on the casing, there are more dents and bruises and the top where the bullet comes out looks slightly pinched and cracked on one side. I know this kind of bullet is center-fired and i do notice a small mark although it's rather tiny.

[centurion]

How's about a misfed round which has been hit by the forward locking lugs of a Mauser bolt instead of being smoothly picked up by the bolt face and chambered ? You do see damage to the walls of a case when this occurs, though I've never seen one actually holed as far as I can recall.

But surely then the round would not have been fired and simply discarded with the bullet still in place?

[Stoppage Drill]

But surely then the round would not have been fired and simply discarded with the bullet still in place?

Yes, that's true. Silly me.